Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312020330
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's unusual for Bedford County schools to compete for basketball titles in the Seminole District. Yet Staunton River swept to both the regular season and tournament titles on the way to making the Group AA girls' state tournament for the first time in the school's history.
Now the Minutemen are regarded as the pre-season favorites in the Seminole boys' race over perennial power Altavista and defending champion Amherst County.
"I feel and the kids feel we'll be successful," said Liberty coach Mark Hanks. "Successful to me is that we're going to improve throughout the year."
Make no mistake, though, Hanks thinks Liberty will be one of the district's top teams. Still, he begins his fifth season - and the best record for Liberty in the first four years was its 10-11 mark last winter.
Liberty won the tournament in 1986 before Hanks arrived.
"I don't want the kids to back down from that expectation, but I don't want the kids to think it will just happen. The reason we are good is because we're deep, and all 10 players will get a reasonable amount of playing time," said Hanks.
He figures Liberty will have to wear people down. The Minutemen return four starters and have height from last year's team.
Sophomore Greg Reynolds, an outstanding receiver in football, might be a key. As a freshman, he played the point and averaged four assists and 5.8 points a game. Now he plays the No. 2 spot, with Todd Brookshire and J.J. Coles taking over at the point.
"They're both quick kids and they'll push the ball up. They can apply pressure on the ball," said Hanks.
Staunton River is young, with unproven talent. Coach Eddie Carter's team has only two starters back and not a whole lot of points left over from last year's squad, which went 9-11.
"This is one of the strongest [physical strength] teams we've had," said Carter. "We have one of our tallest teams, but we don't play that tall."
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